Mechanical pencil with screw feed and hopper type magazine



Dec. 5, 1950 B. D. SMITH 2,532,791

MECHANICAL PENCIL WITH SCREW FEED AND HOPPER TYPE MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 IN VENTOR. .BZavckardD. S'm-iflz BY L10 03 mm LO @W Dec. 5, 1950 B. D. SMITH 2,532,791

MECHANICAL PENCIL WITH SCREW FEED AND HOPPER TYPE MAGAZINE Filed Oct. 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 f :0 2f ffga e za 22 25 k v H I W Y V 22 20% A 2 2 2% $2 i it? fi ,22

fliforn z Patented Dec. 5, 1950 MECHANICAL PENCIL WITH SCREW FEED AND HOPPER TYPE MAGAZINE Blanchard D. Smith, Atlanta, Ga., assignor t Scripto, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,098

19 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical pencils with a screw feed and hopper type magazine.

In pencils where the leads are forcibly fed through the ti which frictionally engages the lead as it emerges, the pencil is generally constructed so that it is necessary to remove the tip when a new lead is inserted. This feature is obviously objectionable.

The primary object of provision of an improved pencil wherein the are fed toward and through the point.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved pencil which has a magazine and will feed out a new lead without removing any part of the pencil.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved feeding mechanism for pencil having a minimum number of parts.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved pencil wherein when a new lead is necessary, it is only necessary to back up the driving element with the pencil in a vertical position and the point down and then force the driving nut downwardly to force a new lead into the lead tube and into position for writing.

A further object of the invention is th provision of a pencil having a feeding mechanism which, while the parts when assembled will be held firmly in place, may be taken apart without difliculty.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a magazine mechanical pencil having a leadpropelling member with mechanism for moving the lead driving means from operative this invention is the leads position at the end of the upper position and. for

movement to operative position when the reverse movement moves the nut downwardly toward the pencil point.

Other and further objects will be apparent from a reading of the complete specification.

Referring to the drawings wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a vertical section of a pencil showing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-4! of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken adjacent the throat of the lead receiving tube, showing the propeller in its retracted position.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the propeller in its driving position forcing the lead downwardly toward the pencil point.

Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of the propeller.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the specification and drawing.

The working parts of the pencil which here illustrate the invention, are three in number: the barrel, the leadecarrying tube and the pro peller, the relatively rotary movement of the barrel and lead-carrying tube causing the propeller to move toward or from the point, according to the relative direction of the barrel and leadcarrying tube. The details of the construction of these parts and their coactive relation to each other will now be described.

The barrel comprises a magazine chamber 26a at its upper end, in which are carried the leads 21. At the lower end of the magazine chamber 2%, is a conical face 262) which serves to guide the leads to a position where they can be fed to an operative position as will be later described.

Below the conical face 2% is a substantially cylindrical short chamber Zlic which has at its bottom, a very short preferably conical shoulder 200! to assist in the assembling and disassembling operations to be later described. Below the shoulder 28d is a cylindrical passage which is threaded for the greater portion of its length as at 29g but is not threaded for the remainder as at 2th, for a purpose which will later appear. The lower end of the barrel 2c is provided with a fiat surface 203, for cooperation with the leadcarrying tube which will now be described.

The lead-carrying tube, which I have designated generally by the reference character 22 has at its lower end a point section 22a which is tapered and ends in a split portion having a split 22b which enables the sides of the tube 22 at the point to grip the lead, as will later appear. At the top of the point section 22a is a flat surface 22c which is coextensive with the surface 22), the outer surfaces of the barrel 2%} and the point section 22a forming a smooth tapered surface.

Above the point section 22a of the lead-carrying tube 22 is a cylindrical section 22d of a size to fit the inner diameter of the threaded portion 263g and the unthreaded portion 2%. For a portion of the length of the lead-carrying tube 22 and at the top, is a narrow slot 22c which provides two resilient end sections 22/, as illustrated 3 in Figs. 3 and 8. The purpose of this slot 2% will later be described.

At the top of the lead-carrying tube 22 is a slightly enlarged cylindrical portion 22g of a size to fit the short cylindrical opening or passage 230 of the barrel 2%). Extending from the surface 220 to the upper end of the lead-carrying tube 22 is a slot 229 which at its upper end is half on one side of the slot 22c and half on the other side. The cross-section of the slot 22g is of T- shape, the cross of the T being adjacent the outer periphery of the cross-section and the upright portion of the T being at and connecting to the tube or bore 22h which is of a size to receive the lead for which the pencil is designed. The lower end of the tube or bore 2272. is at the point of the pencil and extends the axial length of the leadcarrying tube 22.

After the formation of the two points 227', by the slot 222) and the tube or bore 22h, during manufacture, the points 22 are pressed toward each other slightly in order to slightly lessen the diameter of the bore 22h.

The propeller will now be described. This propeller which has been designated generally by the reference character 23 is provided with a threaded portion 23a which engages with the threaded portion 269 of the barrel 2G. Upwardly extending from the threaded portion 23a is a tapered shank 23?) which is integral with a cam ead 230. The cam head 230 has a width slightly less than the width of the slot or groove 22g and is for travel therein. The cross-section of the outer portion of the cam head is of wedge shape as at 23d in order that when the propeller is backed up, it may find its way between the leads which are carried in the magazine chamber 25a. The purpose of this latter feature is to clear the throat or opening at the upper end of the tube or bore 22h to permit a sure entry of the leads 2| therein during the reloading operation as will be later described.

The propeller '23 is provided with a rib 23c extending from near one of its ends to near the other end. At one end and extending from the cam head 230 is the lead driving lip or finger 23 f. This lip extends toward the axis of the pencil a sufiicient distance to engage the end of the lead and to propel the lead toward the point when it is desired to feed lead downwardly. -At the threaded end of the propeller, there is an extension of the rib 235. This extension, I have designated by the reference character 239. This latter, it will be noted from Fig. 7, is at an angle to the rib 23c in order to permit the cam head to swing outwardly during the reloading operation. The lower thread 23h of the driving nut 23, in conjunction with the shoulder 23 which acts as a fulcrum, operates to force the cam head 23c outwardly when the latter reaches the magazine chamber a. It is to be understood that the ribs 23c, g and the driving lip or finger 23 are all of a width that may slide axially in the inner part of the slot 22g, the lip or finger 23f being long enough to extend into the bore or tube 22h.

The barrel member 25 has an opening at the top in which is provided a split sleeve 24 which is integral with a clip 25 and nearly surrounds an eraser 2E. The eraser is held in place by projecting portions 2 8a of the split sleeve 24. As the eraser wears down, the sleeve may be removed and the eraser pulled out to expose more of its length for future use. These parts incident to the eraser are old in the art and are not a part of the invention per se, as claimed herein.

Having described the parts in detail, their assembly and operation will now be described.

When it is desired to assemble the working parts of this invention, the upper end of the lead carrying member 22 is inserted at the bottom of the barrel member 29. This is facilitated by pressing together the ends 22 After the upper end of the lead-carrying member 22 is started and is within the lower end of the barrel member 25, the driving element or propeller 23 is inserted in the groove 22g with the rib 23c in that portion of the groove next to the bore 22h. When in this position, the lead-carrying member 22 may be turned as the propelling element 23 is threaded into the threaded portion 29g of the barrel 25. As the propelling element 23 passes the surface 28 the lead-carrying member 22 may be pushed directly up into the barrel 28. Just before the lead-carrying member 22 reaches its operative position, the enlarged portion 22g enters the chamber Eta and when it is in place, the resilience of the two split portions 22 causes them to snap into place to hold the parts 26 and 252 in proper relation for operation. If it should be necessary to separate the parts, this can be done, if the shoulder Eald is not too pronounced,

by pulling the point out in a direction opposite from the direction of the movement during its assembling operation.

It is to be understood that in the preparation of the member 22 for use, the split members 229' are squeezed toward each other suficiently So that when released, the split portions will be close enough together that they will grip the lead when it comes into contact with the two portions of the point.

If the barrel 22 is now held while the leadcarrying member 22 is turned to back the leaddriving element 23 to its upper position, there will be a time when the upper extension of the element 23, will reach the magazine chamber Zea. When the upper cam head 23c reaches the point where the cam iace 23k rides over the edge of the conical face 2%, the cam head will move outwardly.

When the assembly of the parts 20, 22 and 23, takes place, the propeller lip enters the bore 22h. And when the cam head 23c enters the magazine chamber 23a, moves outwardly, the lip 23 will be withdrawn from the bore 22h. This leaves the bore 22h unobstructed. If there are writing leads in the magazine chamber Zea, the wedge chape portions 23d of the cam head 230 will work its point between the leads 2i, as the relative turning between the cam head 23c and the barrel 26 takes place. As the cam head 230 is fully clear of the leads 2i and the lower end of the magazine chamber 29a, it is clear from Fig. 5 that the lip 23; is out of line with the bore 22h.

The operation of the several parts which cause this outward movement of the cam head 230 will now be described.

The placing of the teeth of the threaded portion 23a is such that when the propeller 23 is moved upwardly toward the magazine, an inwardly radial force will be exerted on the threaded portion. counteracting this force is the force exerted between the fulcrum 237' and the wall of the groove 22g. The lines of the resultants of these two forces are spaced apart, the force of the fulcrum being exerted between, and opposite to, the resultant force of the threaded portion 23a and the contact point of the cam head 230 with the threaded portion of the barrel.

After the wedge shape portion 23d of the cam head 230 has cleared the leads 2i and has reached its outer position as illustrated in Fig. 5, and with the pencil in its vertical position with the point down, one of the leads in the magazine chamber will ride down on the conical surfaces 2% and 229' and will enter the upper endof the bore 22h and drop to a position below the lower end of the lip 23 If new the propeller 23 is moved downwardly by relative turning of the barrel 29 and the lead carrying tube 22, the came face 22% rides inwardly on the edge of the conical face 281). This brings the lip 23 into the bore 22m and in a position to drive the lead 2i downwardly toward the point of the pen.-. oil. This action forces the lead at the bottom of the point out where it is ready for use.

If it is desired to fill the bore wth lead the. driving element has not. reached the lowest position, it is obvious that another writing lead could not go down in the bore for the full distanoe so that. the lip 23/ could get above its end. In this case, the lip 23 will simply break off the lead just above, the top of the bore 22b, and then the lip 23) will pass above the new end caused by the break and the pencil is in operation.

As. already described, the upper portion of the inside of the bore 22h is. not threaded. The threads extend to the point where the cam head 230 will be permitted to reach the outer position shown in Fig- 5 and will then be stopp d by he end of the thread. This construction is important to prevent the s rewing of: he. driving elemen on too far or perhaps out of the t p in o the. l ad magazine chamber 282 While I have described and illustrated an em-v bodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that th disclosure is merely illustrative and that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the, invention and within its scope as'claimed.

Havin described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pencil having a magazine chamber com.-. prising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a lead propelling element, thread and slot means coactive between the drive ing element and the two members to. ho d he prop lling lement to a helical movement. r l tive to one of the members and to lon itudinal movement relative to the other, and coastin means. to remove the lea -propelling element from its lead-propellin position beyond a predetermined point and into the magazine when moving in one direction and, for restoring it to its lead-propelling position at a predetermined point and while in the magazine chamber when moving in the opposite direction.

2, A pencil having a magazine chamber comprising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a lead-propelling element having a lead-contactin lip, thread and slot means coactive between the propelling element and the other two members to hold the propelling element to a helical movement relative to one of the members and to longitudinal movement relative to the other, and coasting means including a cam to remove the lead-contacting lip from contact with the lead in its lead-propelling posi tion when moving in one direction into. the magazine chamber and for restoring it to lead-propelling position when moving in the opposite direction.

3. A pencil having a magazine chamber com.- prising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a movable lead-propelling ele-v ment having a lead-contacting lip spaced from the main body of the propelling element. and

pivotal about the operative position of the main body of the propelling element and thread and slot means coacting with the propelling element to move the lead contacting lip out of its leadpropelling position when moving in one direction into the magazine chamber and for bringing it into propelling contacting position when moving in the other direction as it leaves the magazine chamber.

4. A pencil having a magazine chamber comprising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a movable lead-propelling element having a lead contacting and propelling lip movable into the magazine chamber near one end of its movement, means for moving the lip away from the lead propelling position and means on the propelling element to move the leads in the magazine to one side when the lip is moved from its propelling position.

5. A pencil having a magazine chamber coma prising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a propelling element having a lead-contacting and propelling lip movable into the magazine chamber near one end of its movement, means for moving the lip away from the lead-propelling position and a wedge-shaped. member for passing between the leads in the magazine chamber to provide space for the lip to move from its lead propelling position to allow a new lead to move to a position to be engaged by the propelling lip.

6. A pencil having a magazine chamber com prising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a propelling element, means coactive between the two members to hold the propelling element to a helical movement rela" tive to one of the members and to longitudinal movement relative to the other member, one of the members having a threaded portion, and the other having a longitudinal slot, the propelling element having a threaded portion for movement by the threaded portion of the member and hav ing a portion slidable in the slotv the propelling element having an extension with a lead propelling lip which is movable into and from the magazine chamber and a means for coacting with the slot for swinging the lip away from its propelling position when it enters the magazine chamber.

'7. A pencil having a magazine chamber comprising a barrel member, a member rotatable relatively thereto, a propelling element, means reactive between. the two members to hold the propelling element to a helical movement relative to one of the members and to longitudinal movement relative to the other, one of the members having a longitudinal slot, the propelling member having a part coacting with the slot and movable therein and having an extension with a swinging lead-propelling lip movable into and from the magazine chamber portion on the leadpropelling flip to move the leads in the magazine chamber to one side and provided with a cam for moving the lip into propelling position.

8. A pencil having a magazine chamber comprising a barrel member having a threaded portion near its point end, a tubular member having a lead bore to receive the writing lead, and of a size to fit the interior of the barrel member, the tubular member having a longitudinal slot for a guide at its periphery, a longitudinally movable propelling element within the slot and having a thread-coacting means for coaction with the threads of the barrel member, and having a cam head provided with a lead-propelling lip, movable into and from the magazine chamber, the propelling element having a pivotal fulcrum between the thread-coacting means and head, the threadcoacting means and the slot constituting a swinging means for moving the lead-propelling lip away from its operative position when it is in the backed-up position, to clear the path of an incoming lead into the bore when the lead-propelling lip is in the magazine chamber.

9. A pencil having a magazine chamber comprising a barrel member having a threaded portion near its point end, a tubular member having a lead bore to receive the writing lead and of a size to fit the interior of the barrel member, the tubular member having a longitudinal slot for a guide at its periphery, a longitudinally movable propelling element within the slot and having a thread-coacting means for coaction with the threads of the barrel member, and having a cam head provided with a lead-propelling lip, movable into and from the magazine chamber, the propelling element having a pivotal fulcrum between the thread coacting means and head, the thread-coacting means and the slot constituting a swinging means for moving the lead-propelling lip away from its operative position when it is in the backed-up position, to clear the path of an incoming lead into the bore when the lead-propelling lip is in the magazine chamber, and a cam connected with the lead-propelling li coacting with the bottom of the magazine chamber to forcibly cause the lead-propelling lip to return to a position above the bore where upon further movement it will operate to move the lead downwardly in the bore.

10. A pencil comprising a barrel member having a threaded portion near its point end and a magazine chamber thereabove, a tubular member, having a lead-bore to receive the writing lead, and extending within the barrel member from its point end thereof substantially to the magazine chamber, the tubular member having a longitudinal slot at its periphery extending to the bore, the magazine chamber having a conical surface at its bottom for directing the leads to the bore, the pencil having a gripping slit at its point for gripping the writing end of the lead, a longitudinally movable propelling element in the slot and having a thread means for engaging cooperatively with the threaded portion of the barrel, the propelling element having a cam head provided with a lead-driving lip radially spaced from the threaded means and a cam face for engaging the conical surface to guide the propelling li to and from its propelling position and a fulcrum means between the threaded means head about which the propelling lip swings to move to and from its operative position.

11. A pencil comprising a barrel member having a threaded portion near its point end and a magazine chamber thereabove, a tubular member, having a lead-bore to receive the writing lead, and extending within the barrel member from its point end thereof substantially to the magazine chamber, the tubular member having a longitudinal slot at its periphery extending to the bore, and having a slitted upper end and a shoulder to engage a similarly shaped recess in the barrel member, to hold the tubular member and barrel members together, the magazine chamber having a conical surface at its bottom for directing the leads to the bore, the pencil having a gripping slit at its point for gripping the writing end of the lead, a longitudinally movable propelling element in the slot and having a thread means for engaging cooperatively with the threaded portion of the barrel, the propelling element having a cam head provided with a leadpropelling lip spaced from the threaded means and a cam face for engaging the conical surface to guide the propelling lip radially to and from its propelling position and a fulcrum means between the threaded means head about which the propelling lip swings to move to and from its operative position.

12. A pencil comprising a barrel member having a threaded portion near its point end and a magazine thereabove, a tubular member having a lead-bore to receive the writing lead and extending within the barrel member from its point end substantially to the magazine chamber, the tubular member having a longitudinal slot at its peripher extending to the bore, and having a slitted upper end and a shoulder to engage a similarly shaped recess in the barrel member to hold the tubular member and barrel members together, the magazine chamber having a conical guiding surface at its bottom for directing the leads to the bore, the pencil having a gripping slit at its point for gripping the writing end of the lead, a longitudinally movable propelling element in the slot and having a thread means at one end for engaging cooperatively with the threaded portion of the barrel, the propelling element having a tapered extension and a propelling lip on the tapered extension spaced from the threaded means and having a cam face for engaging the conical surface to guide the propelling lip radially to and from propelling position in the lead bore and also having a wedge shape portion on the opposite side from the lip to move the leads in the magazine chamber to one side and a fulcrum means intermediate the ends of the propelling element about which the propelling lip swings to move it to and from its operative position.

13. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lead feeding mechanism, including a lead bore and a lead propelling lever having a lead-end engaging means and means within the body of the pencil for moving the propelling lever about its fulcrum to an inoperative position when the propelling means is backed up and for returning it to propelling position when the propelling means is fed downwardly.

14. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lead-feeding mechanism, including a lead propelling lever having a lead-end engaging means and means within the pencil body for moving the propelling lever about its fulcrum to a position where its propelling part is in the bore when at one position and for moving the propelling part from the bore when in another position.

15. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lea-d feeding mechanism, an outer barrel member having a recess and an inner member, the inner member having a lead-bore through its length, a writing point at one end and an expanding member at its other end for registration with and to snap into and be held by the wall of the recess.

16. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lead-feeding mechanism, the lead-feeding mechanism including a fulcrumed lead-propelling lever, a lip on the element for contacting and moving the lead and means for pivoting the lever to move the lip into or out of the path of the end of the lead.

17. A pencil having a magazine chamber and. a lead-feeding mechanism, the lead-feeding mechanism including a lead-propelling lever, a lip on the lement for contacting and moving the lead and means for moving the lever about its fulcrum to move the lip into or out of the path of the end of the lead.

18. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lead-feeding mechanism including coacting threaded means, a lead-propelling element, a lip on the element fo contacting and moving the J.

lead, one of the threads extending from the axis of the body member farther than the other threads.

19. A pencil having a magazine chamber and a lead-feeding mechanism including a helical thread, a lead-propelling element having coacting element having coacting threads, the line of BLANCHARD D. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,552,638 Nelson Sept. 8, 1925 1,827,188 Burgess Oct. 13, 1931 1,967,484 Stenersen July 24, 1934 2,130,230 Cohen Sept. 13, 1938 2,464,035 Hasselquist Mar. 8, 1949 

